I’m deeply worried about my second son, Yang. He’s 17 years old and currently a junior in high school (11th grade in the U.S. system). Today, Saturday, I asked him about his studies when he came home.
“Yang, have you taken your midterm exams this semester?”
“Yes, I did.”
“How did you do? What were your scores?”
“A little over 100 points… not even 200.”
“Yang, over 100 points? How can I even respond to that? I know getting top grades is hard, but the total score for all subjects is 750! If you just put in some effort—even a little diligence—you could easily reach 300. With just 100 points across six subjects, it’s clear you’re not trying at all.”
Yang stayed silent, slumped in his chair. I took a drag of my cigarette and spoke earnestly: “Yang, you’ll graduate high school in a year. What kind of job can you get then? Factory work? Delivering packages? Food delivery? It seems like only low-skilled, physically demanding jobs are left for you. Joining the military? These days, the military prioritizes college graduates. Even though high school graduates technically qualify, there’s no chance for someone like you. The competition is too fierce.”
He still didn’t respond. I know he’s used to tuning me out.
“Yang, subjects like Chinese, English, and Geography—if you just studied harder, you could score decently. I understand struggling with Math and Chemistry, but Physics used to be your strength in middle school! Now, you’re failing because you’re not paying attention in class, skipping homework, and never reviewing. You need to change. You only have one year left before the college entrance exam (Gaokao). If you work hard now, this year could change everything. It’s your last chance. You once talked about becoming a dentist, studying acupuncture, or joining military officer training programs. But with scores this low, no school will accept you. It’s not that I don’t want to send you to college—it’s that you’re making it impossible. If this continues, your future will be nothing but backbreaking work for meager pay. Think about it, Yang. Time is running out.”
After this talk, I felt exhausted and anxious for him. In China, unemployment is soaring—even college graduates struggle to find jobs. What will happen to my Yang? If he refuses to put effort into his education, he’ll be stuck in low-wage labor. I don’t know where his path lies or how he’ll survive. I’m terrified for his future.